Positional Power

I believe that positional power as seen through the class is one-up one-down model, is that most of us judge our position in relation to those around us. Some above some below.

If we take Ireland’s current financial predicament, according to the popular press we are banjaxed, sunk, doomed and destined to become captives of our political masters in Europe. And to stretch this metaphor a little further, we are being bullied by the two big boys France and Germany. The press are mostly advocates of the deficit theory, they sell newspapers based on what’s wrong and seldom on what’s right.

The problem with this mindset is that we become subservient. We are waiting like errant children for our European partners to behave like parents and rescue us, and we half expect to be punished for our errant ways.

Stuff you
The other side of the coin is that we can say, “Stuff you, your banks took a gamble and they lost, tough!” Both of these extreme position are not useful is works on the out dated model of winners and losers. It’s premise is that there are leaders and followers.

Irelands position needs to change and it has nothing to do with size. Might is right is a seriously flawed philosophy. The correct positional stance we need to take is that of an equal partner. And true partnership is not trying to get one over the other especially when the other is seemingly in a weakened state; the real alternative is to create a sustainable solution. One that is not the Irish way, or the French of German way.

Our way
This could be a wonderful opportunity to produce a stronger European model, one that is built on the idea of “OUR WAY.” This would be a holistic approach, that looks for genuine breakthrough solutions that are good for all member states and it people. This will take a massive paradigm shift. However, we know that crisis occurs when the rules no longer fit and are often the catalyst to the new paradigm.

This not some Pollyanna theory, we have to get real about the size of the task and the serious effort it will take. There are thousands of successful entrepreneurs who live and breath the win win partnership model. Ireland has a wonderful reservoir of talent that can be unleashed under the right conditions. Our position must be unflinching as partners we will evolve and contribute to a dynamic Europe.